Smartphone users value phones over TVs

Smartphone owners in the UK are more reluctant to give up their phone than any other device

Smartphone owners in the UK are more reluctant to give up their phones than their TVs, according to a new survey.

Given the choice, 41 percent of smartphone owners said they would miss their phone more than any other device, 34 per cent said they would miss their TV most, and 28 per cent said their computer or laptop.

The survey by Ipsos Mori for King’s College London found that older smartphone owners are nearly as reluctant to give up their devices as younger smartphone owners.

38 per cent of those aged over 56 said they would be most reluctant to give up their smartphone, compared to 41 per cent of 16-25 year olds.

However, young people are not nearly as attached to watching conventional TV as older groups. Only 22 per cent of 16-25 year olds say they would be most reluctant to give up their TVs, compared with 53 per cent of those aged over 56.

Compared with smartphone owners in 19 other countries, Britain is mid-table in seeing their smartphones as essential. The country most wedded to their smartphone is South Africa (56 per cent), followed by South Korea and China.

Overall, 73 per cent of those surveyed agreed that technology makes life better. However, many people still have concerns about the technology – half of those surveyed said they can’t keep up with technological and scientific developments.

“The survey not only highlights how central smartphones have become to our lives but also that there is a global appetite for the technology,” said Claire Emes, head of digital at Ipsos Mori

“It is important to note that people’s concern about keeping up with technological and scientific developments may result in an information divide – a sort of information imperialism.”

The findings of the survey will be debated at the event, Your life in your hands: Living our lives through our mobile phones, at King’s College London.